Systemic administration of drugs for the treatment of diseases can be effective, but may not be the most efficacious method for diseases which are localized within specific parts of the body. The controlled localized delivery of a drug to diseased tissue has become increasingly desirable because less drug can be administered locally resulting in a corresponding decrease in side effects, as well as providing economic benefit due to the expense of many drugs.
Controlled localized delivery in body lumens can be difficult because the movement of bodily fluids through body lumens such as blood vessels and ducts can carry the drug away from the afflicted area.
Some methods of controlled local delivery of drugs involve inserting or implanting medical devices that include a polymer composition for release of a biologically active material. These polymer compositions may be applied to the surface as a coating. For example, various types of drug-coated stents have been used for localized delivery of drugs to a body lumen. See commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,562 to Ding et al. Such stents have been used to prevent, inter alia, the occurrence of restenosis after balloon angioplasty.